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Abstract

Since 1923, urban local authorities in South Africa were legally obliged to
provide housing to urban black workers within their areas of jurisdiction.
Urban black workers were “cheap” workers, resulting in local authorities
to be confronted by financial obligations and problems, which completely
overwhelmed them. Therefore, many authorities neglected their housing
obligations and unhygienic conditions, and slums were a common sight in
urban black townships. This was detrimental to the health of black workers
as well as their white co-workers. Furthermore, this situation affected the
economy negatively, as well as the relationships between whites and blacks.
This article investigates the housing and financial legislation urban local
authorities had to comply with in order to provide urban blacks with housing;
the assistance, if any, that local authorities received from the central authority
(state); the financial implications if local authorities fulfilled their obligations;
and the eventual profits and losses this fulfilment held for such local authorities
and the black inhabitants in their municipal townships. The actions of the
Port Elizabeth local authority will be discussed as a case-study: this authority
managed, despite enormous financial losses, to fulfil their obligations, resulting
in the realisation that more actually cost less, and that financial losses resulted
in lasting social and health gains.